The Olivetti page has been completely redone. With the addition of OMEF 1980 and a re-examination of Schramm 1962, quite a few numbers have changed and a lot of models have been added. Additionally, I’ve added Platen Diameters and some notes from OMEF 80 that state in no uncertain terms that dating an Olivetti from the serial number past 1978 is pretty much impossible.
That bit about “past 1978” is the bad news. The good news is that we’ve made *some* inroads on Lettera 22 serial numbers, Added or expanded on Linea 88, Linea 98, Linea 98 Special, Studio 45, Lettera 25, Lettera 31, Lettera 32, Praxis 48, Editor 3, 3C, 4, 4C, 4 Special, 4C Special, 5, Lexicon 90, 90C, Lettera Electric and Lexicon 83DL. I’ve also added a huge and badly needed swath of new numbers for Studio 42 and 44!
There are still some holes, and the whole Lettera 22 issue is still up for grabs as OMEF and Schramm still disagree between 1954 and 1956. I’m feeling that Schramm may have those years right, or alternately there were two different serial numbering schemes in those years from two different factories. Schramm makes more sense given some of the L22 examples in the gallery database. If you have a Lettera 22, please re-check your serial number against the new list. You may find it now makes a little more sense.
http://typewriterdatabase.com/olivetti.56.typewriter-serial-number-database
Also, OMEF 80 had all new sections on Addo (never heard of them, but apparently related to Facit somehow), and Silver Reed complete with new serial numbers, so I added them as well:
http://typewriterdatabase.com/silverreed.688.typewriter-serial-number-database
http://typewriterdatabase.com/addo.687.typewriter-serial-number-database
UPDATE: Found a swath of Olivetti Lettera 36 serial numbers in source #25 (an east german manufacturer list), since they were apparently manufactured between the late 70’s and early 80’s by Robotron. I’ve now added these to the Olivetti list.
Great job, Ted!
I appreciate that this is a very old posting, but have been trying to unravel the history of the Glasgow produced Lettera 22 models. Being in the UK these are widely available and I have had around 15 or so through my hands. One of my latest purchases appears to be an early Glasgow model with a serial number in the low 60000 numbers, from 1954? There are a few variations on the subsequent production model so I now wonder if Glasgow only started making the Lettera 22 in 1954?
As a follow up from my last comment in 2021….over 130 Lettera 22s have now passed through my workshop, mostly Glasgow made, as I am based in the U.K. With a high degree of confidence, based on my experience of these typewriters:
– Lettera 22s were made in Glasgow from 1954
– I have never seen any Glasgow made examples with a serial number earlier than 1954
– I have had several ‘pre-production’ early ones from 1954, distinguished from later examples by having larger key legends, no carriage lock and no logo on the paper table
– all the first generation (round key) examples from Glasgow have serial numbers with an S prefix EXCEPT for those with an XS prefix – the additional X denotes a ‘factory’ refurbishment, usually including a new body (but not a new paper table, generally resulting in a colour mismatch)
I note in your 2021 comment that the Glasgow L22’s you’ve seen are in the 60,000 series. Is this correct, or could you have meant “600,000” series? If so, that could be the explanation for the OMEF numbers in the 600,000 range starting in 1954. That would tie things together very nicely.
Ooops, yes, my mistake. All six digit numbers. The earliest Glasgow made one I’ve had was S617527. I’ve had Italian made 1954 examples with corresponding numbers, but without the S prefix. I note that quite a few collectors incorrectly assign a 1950 date to their Glasgow made Lettera 22 based on the current guidance in the database about early 1950 (Italian?) ones having an S prefix. I’ve never had an Italian one from 1950 so can’t comment on that, but it seems that they were not made at Glasgow until 1954. In other respects, the database numbers seem correct – I’ve just sold one that dates to 1957, that includes a sales warranty dated January 1958.
Ooh, that’s good to know. Ok, I’ll add in the notes about Glasgow production, that clarifies that whole weird double-range serials starting in 1954. It probably reflects a new series starting in that factory. (:
Many thanks for adding the notes to the database. I probably wasn’t very clear on the S prefix, so just for additional clarity, all the first generation Glasgow made Lettera 22s (round key models with 600000 and 700000 serial numbers) have the S (or XS) prefix, not just the early 1954 examples. Hope this helps!
fixed! Thanks (:
At the risk of spending too much time down this Lettera 22 serial number rabbit hole…if the serial numbers in the database are derived from the Ivrea production, presumably there was an equivalent parallel set of numbers with an S prefix for the Glasgow production? For example at some point I had Glasgow made S695810, which I dated to 1957 using the database, but presumably there was also an Italian made equivalent with the serial number of 695810 (no S prefix). Similarly, the second generation quartic key models have serial numbers starting with 1 for the Italian typewriters and 91 for the Glasgow made examples. Did each factory manufacture the same number of typewriters each year or did the serial numbers get out of sync with other…??
heh, unknown :D